A Thread Woven Differently
by NekoYakumo
Summary: PG to be safe... future NettoEnzan, maybe others. Makes no sense now... but what if one thing was different? What if Netto was... " evil ".. confusing, ne? Well, I'm as confused. :)
1. Chapter 1

First off, people whom I do not know, I'd like to apologize for writing this- it may come off as OOC, or bad, or something... I dunno. For that, I apologize. And now, we have... the disclaimer. Yay.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own RockMan EXE or any characters involved in this. There will be shounen-ai later on- if you do not like it, feel free to skip over those parts and read everything else. Also, if the Netto/Enzan pairing is OOC, then that's okay- this is AU, so what could be OOC could be IC.. I think.. or not.  
  
Eh, whatever- on with the show. I present, the fic.. This is AU, of course. And updates will be highly... random, in terms of time. That said, on with it.  
  
A Thread Woven Differently  
  
"'Night. "mumbled Netto Hikari, slumping on the bed in a heap, brown eyes closed, the same-coloured hair resting against the sheets, PET clasped in his hands still for some reason, still on. He was tired..  
  
"Great.. I've spent another night running about the town jacking in to twenty different places, running about town to find those places, and battling a sword-wielding Navi bent on stopping me, along with his operator... Enzan, was it.. feh, whatever... "he mumbled, falling asleep.  
  
"' Night. "he mumbled again, not knowing he'd said it twice in his tiredness.  
  
RockMan responded with a simple "Good night. "as his operator fell asleep..  
  
Or almost asleep. Netto was awake, and yet not awake, somehow. Without thinking about what he was doing, his hands fished into his pockets, bringing out a strange unmarked Battle Chip he had picked up earlier..  
  
In his mind, images danced of that incident.... of a visit to a Battle Chip shop that had been there for a while, which had drawn him in with a "New Battlechips! "sign... of a guy in glasses and wild brown hair who'd given him that strange chip as part of a "Mystery Chip! "package....  
  
Images that were driven out of his mind as the chip was slid into the PET, and there came a sudden glowing light....  
  
RockMan, still aware of the things around him, felt the world suddenly slip out from under him, everything before him fade into a blur..  
  
"What's.. that Battle Chip... doing? "the Navi mumbled, green eyes darting about in confusion at the black void that surrounded him where once the small world of his PET lay... he suddenly felt himself falling, falling into a blinding white light below him... and then a whole new wave of thoughts overtook him, voices that seemed to drown the Navi in their words, Netto's voice screaming through his mind.  
  
"That Navi... with the sword.. he's good.. who is he..? "  
  
"Ah.. my arm hurts.. I didn't bump it on anything, though... is it a strain injury from using a PET too much.... I am holding one.. heh.. "  
  
"What the heck is Meiru doing...? "  
  
These voices swirled through RockMan's mind, as he drowned in the strange words, agony seeming to convulse through his body.. in the real world, Netto's body convulsed with agony, sweat pouring down his face..  
  
"What... is..it..what's happening.. "both of them whispered, at the same time, in thoughts and whispers... hints of each other's thoughts swirled in their minds, their memories, their feelings, all of it forming a whirlpool that threatened to drown them both...  
  
Which it did, both of them sliding away under the whirlpool of thought, lost in the depths of each other's thoughts, both of them lost in their combined thoughts, thoughts that formed a single whirlpool- a single mind, of two.  
  
He awoke, and stared.  
  
Around him was a strange place.  
  
Half of it was a grassy and endless field, the blue sky hanging in the air, sun shining down on the peaceful and happy area. The other was a strange place, a field of red-and-blue metal panels, the sky in this section a dark background with shapes of all types decorating it. Both sides were divided by a clear line, a red line through sky and ground.  
  
"Where...am I? "he spoke, and was surprised.  
  
His voice was that of two voices. One was eager and young, happy and carefree. The other was carefree, yet it seemed to be a bit more focused, a bit more driven... or so he thought.  
  
"Who am I? "he mumbled, and at this, two voices sprung into his mind.  
  
"I am Netto... I am RockMan's friend, RockMan's operator.. "  
  
"I am RockMan.. the friend of Netto, of others... his Navi... "  
  
"I am.. Netto, yes... but... RockMan.. too... I know them both.. but who am I? " he mumbled.  
  
He looked at himself... and, somehow, he recognized both the voices he had heard in himself. He saw a humanoid being in pure blue all over, with yellow shoulder pads... shouldn't there be a cannon on that right arm, or something, he thought... a same blue helmet covered his head, the odd design of RockMan... but there was a visor of somekind all the way up to his face, and brown eyes peeked out that he knew as Netto's...  
  
In that instant, he realized, somehow, he was both the Navi and the human- both Netto and RockMan, at the same time. A hand grabbed at brown jagged hair absentmindedly as the two beings that he was realized whom they were...  
  
"RockMan... is that you... how.. this is a dream, right? "Netto's voice echoed.  
  
"I think so... but then, why does it feel so real... why do I have all these memories that I don't remember having.. "the Navi's voice echoed.  
  
"I.. don't know.. but I think I have memories from you... I doubt I ever had to avoid five viruses closing in from around me.. "  
  
"And I doubt I ever thought about how boring the television can be ..does that mean this is real? "the Navi mumbled.  
  
"I guess so.. but why.. and how did this happen? "Netto mumbled.  
  
"I don't know.. "the Navi responded, confused.  
  
"Me neither.. "Netto mumbled, staring out in hopes he could find out what was going on. The strange landscape did not help any.... Nor did the stranger who suddenly materialized in the distance. He came forward... he too looked like a fusion of Netto and RockMan, but he was far different.  
  
His body was clad in the white shirt, orange vest, and black shorts that Netto commonly sported. However, his eyes were green. And, in a surprise, a buster cannon made this figure's right hand. Closer and closer he walked, a confident smile on his face, until he came up to them..  
  
"Do you wonder whom you are? "he asked, in a voice far, far different from that of the Netto/RockMan fusion.  
  
"Umm.. "the brown-eyed fusion thought in confusion.  
  
"It is simple, then... you are Netto Hikari, operator of RockMan... and, on grounds of a strange ' family obligation ' you know little of, you've been forced to run about town doing things that are considered fairly criminal with a Net Navi.. over the course of this, you've had to battle a strange sword-wielding Navi who's controlled by someone named Enzan.. the navi's name you cannot renember.. is this correct? "  
  
Netto and RockMan were surprised, but they nodded.. how did this one know?  
  
"Ah, yes... "the green-eyed fusion mumbled. "Yes... well... I had to know whom it was that I felt I was, whom it was I think I am... I do ask you one thing, however... "the stranger, a seeming halluncination, whispered.  
  
"I ask.. you follow the heart.. the soul... and the lightning... it'll help you live, and bring something to your life.. an extension of it.. I do not know.. "  
  
The brown-eyed human/Navi fusion stared at him in confusion, unable to make any sense of what was going on....  
  
And then, they woke up, and were not one.  
  
Confusing, ne? ( Well.. leave comments. Gomen nasai if this sucks... I was insane while writing this... 


	2. Chapter 2

Huhuhuhuhuhu... Ohayou/Konni'/Konbanwa, depending on what time of the day you're reading this. Fear my fannish Japanese- ph33r it, I say. :) Now that I proved I'm out of it, here's the update. I do warn you, things might not make any sense whatsoever.... But do keep in mind things, eh. And thank you for the review, Kiri-san no neko shoujou!  
  
Now, on with the show.. oh yes; when one speaks in ' instead of ", it denotes that it's their thoughts. (  
  
A Thread Woven Differently, Chapter Two  
  
---  
  
"What was that? "thought Netto Hikari, awake in his bed, feeling exhausted and tired... He stared about the room in confusion.  
  
"That dream.. was it real? "he mumbled to the night of the room, words coming out in pants and gasps. "It certainly feels like it.. for some reason I'm exhausted.. "  
  
"Me too.. "mumbled RockMan from the PET, voice sounding tired and weak. Though he was a computer program, he did seem almost human at times.  
  
"RockMan... is that you? "Netto asked in confusion, jolted into full consciousness by the voice of his Navi friend. "I thought you were shutting down already.. "  
  
"How would you think that? "mumbled the Navi. "You slipped a Battle Chip into the PET before it was about to shut down... I had to stay online to receive its effects.. "  
  
"No, I didn't.. "said Netto, fully awake now, the strange dream at the back of his mind, replaced by confusion. "I never put a chip in there.. "  
  
"Yes, you did.. "insisted RockMan. "Check the slot- I can safely say that you put some strange chip in there, and it caused something odd.. to happen.. "the Navi mumbled, tiredness showing in his voice.  
  
"Okay.. "uttered Netto, somewhat unable to believe what RockMan had told him.  
  
"I couldn't have put a ' strange ' Battle Chip in there.. I don't have any strange Battle Chips.. "he mumbled to himself, feeling around the slot..  
  
And finding a chip in there.  
  
"Wha? "he mumbled, pulling it out and staring at it in confusion. It was totally and completely unmarked, only its shape identifying it as a Battle Chip.  
  
' This is that Battle Chip I got from that weirdo at the Battle Chip Store.. ' he thought to himself.  
  
"Fine, so there's a Battle Chip in here.. "said Netto. "But that doesn't mean I put it in there, RockMan. I did not put a Battle Chip in there, that's for sure. "  
  
His sentence ended with a yawn, reminding him how tired he still felt...  
  
' Must be all of what I did, and whatever little sleep I had, with that dream... ah, not now.. I have to concentrate on this.. even though I just wanna sleep.. ' he mumbled to himself, in his mind.  
  
"Well, I don't know what to say... I didn't put that chip in there.. "Netto said firmly. "I don't renember putting that chip in there... what happened, anyway, after I put it in? "  
  
"I don't know.. it's actually pretty odd.. "RockMan responded. "I remember slipping into somekind of void... then ending up in this freaky... um, half-real, half-Internet place where I was... I don't know... "  
  
"A fusion of me and you... and then we met someone else who looked like the both of us, right.. "asked Netto, surprised and shocked that the chip could cause RockMan to.. to experience the same dream he had just felt..  
  
"Right.. and he said something about.. heart.. soul.. lightning... "the Navi mumbled, totally confused.  
  
"Yeah.. "sighed Netto. "That was confusing.. You think maybe this chip has something to do with it? "he thought, fingering the blank white Battle Chip.  
  
"Maybe... "said RockMan. "Though I still can't figure out how it got into the PET.. "  
  
"Me neither. "replied Netto. "But I do think I want to find out what the heck it had to do with our strange dream.. I'm just.. really curious, all of a sudden. "  
  
"Yeah.. me too.. "said the Navi.  
  
And there they sat, in silence, trying to figure out just what had happened. The dream, the strange words, the voices.. neither of it mattered to the two. All they wanted, right now.. was to figure out exactly what had caused that.. strange experience.  
  
"Maybe I can try it again... "Netto suddenly said, breaking the silence.  
  
"What? "asked RockMan in surprise.  
  
"Maybe I can try to figure out what's going on here... by using the chip again... "said Netto. "Maybe this chip is involved.. and maybe, by using it again, I can see what happens.. "  
  
An unidentifiable look... fear, caution, confusion, realization, something.. crossed RockMan's face as he protested against Netto's idea.  
  
"Don't do it.. "said RockMan. "Don't.. please, don't. You don't know what that could do... to you, to me... let's just forget about it for now, okay? Let's just try to go to sleep, okay.. "he said, a kind of.. fear in his voice.  
  
"Umm.. okay.. "mumbled Netto in confusion. He yawned. "I am feeling kinda tired... " That all said, he proceeded to lie on the bed.  
  
"Good night, RockMan.. "he mumbled under his breath.  
  
"Good night, Netto. "replied his friend, a kind of relief in his tone.  
  
Netto sighed, turning on the bed, trying to get some sleep again, trying to forget the strange events of the day and get some sleep... With a smile forming on his face, he finally fell asleep, today's events weaving their way into his dreams....  
  
... Only for a beeping noise from his PET to awaken him.  
  
Netto sprung awake, still extremely tired, yet his words shot out of him with the energy of a cat.  
  
"RockMan, what is that? "he mumbled to himself, rubbing at his blurry eyes.  
  
"It's an e-mail.. "responded his Navi.  
  
"Oh... "moaned Netto.  
  
' It's probably just someone I know, like Meiru or Dekao.. someone e- mailing me in the night for a joke.. hah, more likely it's just spam. ' the boy thought.  
  
"Who's it from, RockMan? "he asked, sighing, inwardly cursing the world for trying to keep him awake tonight, when he was extremely tired.  
  
"It's from.. "RockMan mumbled, also feeling somewhat tired from the day's work. The identity of the one who'd sent the e-mail, however, stirred up enough feeling within the Navi's soul for a moan.  
  
"It's him again.. That guy with the anonymous e-mail address.... "the Navi whispered, groaning inwardly at the thought of what always came with this guy's e-mail.  
  
"Oh, not again.. "moaned Netto, almost ready to cry for his unluckiness.  
  
' Here I am, trying to get some sleep after a tiring night.. and I get weird dreams and now.. another e-mail from this guy. Why me.. ' sighed Netto inwardly, picking up the PET and going to read his e-mail.  
  
Minutes later, he set down the PET and rose to his feet, groaning with the effort.  
  
"Well, RockMan.. we're off for another job again, it seems... "he mumbled to the Navi.  
  
"I guessed that.. "sighed the Navi. "But twice in one night, especially after that one that had us running around... "RockMan sighed, something that looked to become a habit of his.  
  
"I know.. anyhow, it's pretty much the same stuff... apparently, we have to make our way down near the gates of the school, and wait for instructions there... "mumbled Netto.  
  
For a third time tonight, RockMan sighed. "This sounds.. completely ridiculous... we shouldn't be doing something like this.. "  
  
"I know.. "sighed Netto. "But, as always, this mysterious... person has threatened me if I don't follow through with this.. "  
  
The boy sighed sadly.  
  
"And I know how real his threats can be.. "Netto silently chuckled to himself. "I sound like someone from those boring television shows.. Well then, let's go.. "he said suddenly, picking up the PET again.  
  
"Right.. "mumbled RockMan.. The both of them were tired, but somehow they were awake enough to sneak down and out of the house, down to where the e- mail specified.  
  
Walking towards his destination, Netto thought silently to himself, rambling on.  
  
' Why? Why am I the one who's made into the.. the minion of some weirdo.. what the heck caused this, I wonder... and is there anyway out of this.. Is there a way I can break free... somehow, maybe.. I don't know why, but life.. seems so.. dead, so.... not living right now... is there anyway out of this.. anything I can find, anything I can follow out of this.. any thread, any voice, any person... man, I sound like those boring people on the television lately... but I mean it.. '  
  
On and on he walked.  
  
Wow.. inspiration's crazy. 


End file.
